


Looks Like We've Made It

by werebird



Series: The Distance of a Year [2]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Hopeful Ending, M/M, Moving On, Post-Break Up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-05
Updated: 2016-04-05
Packaged: 2018-05-31 11:17:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6468115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/werebird/pseuds/werebird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's a moment were Harry lets the voice just run through his body and wonders how long it usually takes for conditioning to wear off once the trigger's gone. Apparently about three years and thirteen months. </p><p>-Sequel to A Tomorrow After All-</p>
            </blockquote>





	Looks Like We've Made It

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from the song Still The One by Shania Twain

The first time it happens, Harry doesn't notice until he's back home, standing in his hallway, thick coat over his shoulders and groceries still in one hand. He frowns to himself turns around to stare at the closed door behind him. Maybe he should go back. See if this time, he'd still smile over the pictures over Louis and his little baby on the cover of one of those magazines he technically hates so much. 

They're still stuck in his head and somehow he finds himself smiling over the memory once more as he puts some all the stuff he's bought into fridge and cupboards. 

 

+++

 

The second time it happens, it's when he's on the phone with Niall talking about sports, music and LA. The words just slip right out of his mouth before he think about it.

"So how's Lou's doing?"

There's dead silence on the other end. Niall's holding his breath, but when he realizes that Harry won't backtrack, he just says- 

"Fine, actually." His voice is hesitant, gentle. "He's doing really good."

"Good," Harry says, nodding along, before he freezes too. "Uh, sorry," he says quickly, no idea who he's apologizing to. 

 

+++

 

The third time he's out on a run, headphones in his ears and his music on shuffle. 

He stops in his tracks only after the last few notes have been played, only after he'd sang along in his head. He hadn't flinched, hadn't even noticed, had just set his pace to the rhythm and enjoyed the voice. 

It keeps being stuck in his head though, too, throughout the whole day. The melody, the lyrics. But it doesn't feel heavy now. Not painful or cornering. It feels like-

Music.  

_You're still the one I run to, the one that I belong to._

That same evening, Harry takes a good look at himself in the mirror. Staring into his eyes, searching for answers. Could it be? Could it have slipped by him just so easily. Unnoticed, unbothered, and this quiet? 

Was he-

Better?

Knowing when a heartbreak starts is so obvious. The shattering of hopes, the pain of loss, the desperation. The loneliness, the tears, the fears of never being able to live on. He still remembers. As if it was yesterday. The fight. The endless hours of trying to fix what was already broken. At first everything was sore and aching, then it was numb and deafening, then it was hell. And it was like trying to swim in ice cold water for years. 

Now it feels like spring. He's never noticed he was moving towards milder waters. But here he is. With warm skin and tender limbs.

Knowing where heartbreak ends is so ominous. It sneaks up on you really. On feathery toes, hidden from your sight with a kiss so light you're doomed to miss it. But everything has changed. 

 

+++

 

Harry spends the next few weeks in awe. He breathes is with unburdened lungs, and he laughs with the force of a thousand amplifiers, and he dreams as if there was a tomorrow after all.

And he falls in love.

Which was definitely not on the list of things to do. Which was definitely not on any list. There hasn't even been a list.

But it happens.

Weeks ago Harry had only seen his heart as a scarred muscle. Something that was still working but would never heal. He'd seen himself as a cramped shadow of the person he used to be. 

It hadn't been like finding himself again. I hadn't been like being rescued. The storm had just calmed over night, the icicles had melted and suddenly it was dawn, but he'd never seen the sun rising. It was just bright again. And his heart was intact.

Weeks ago the simple idea of ever loving again would have made his stomach curl in disgust. Now though, it makes him blush.

 

+++

 

A little more than a year later since he's last talked to Louis, Harry select the familiar number and presses his phone close to his ear. Closer than ever, because he can't miss it. Can't miss the moment he'll hear his voice again. The moment of truth. 

"Hello?" 

There's a moment were Harry lets the voice just run through his body and wonders how long it usually takes for conditioning to wear off once the trigger's gone. Apparently about three years and thirteen months. 

"Is this a bad time?" Harry asks. His voice is a little shaky.

"No," Louis says immediately. "No, it's-," there's a click in the background of a door being closed behind. "It's not a bad time at all."

Harry smiles to himself. "How are you?" he asks. 

"Surprised, honestly," Louis admits. "I know said you could call, I just didn't think you would." Even though Harry had been pondering over calling for days, he knows to Louis it's a call out of the blue. "Not that I mind," Louis adds quickly. "How yore you?"

Harry laughs at that softly. "Good, actually?"

"Yeah?" Louis asks, voice as fond as Harry remembers it. 

"Yeah, I'm-," he loosens the grip on his phone a little. "I'm good."

"I'm glad you are," Louis says and Harry relaxes even more. "There's not a reason for you to call right? Nobody died?" Louis asks.

"No, oh my god, no," Harry says quickly. "Sorry, if I freaked you out."

"Not at all. Maybe at first," Louis admits. "Just a little."

"How have you been?" Harry asks carefully. 

"Good," Louis says with a sigh. "Busy. But good. Everything's crazy, you know? With the little one. My whole life's upside down. But it's amazing. Never thought I could love someone like this."

Harry remembers the pictures he'd seen on the magazine. And how comfortable Louis had looked. Sort of natural with a child in his arm.

"Sorry," Louis says quietly. "I didn't mean to insinuate that-"

"Don't worry, Lou," Harry assured him. "I get it. Or at least, I think."

"Haven't called me Lou in a while. Feels a little weird," Louis admits. 

"I've been on a date," Harry says. "Earlier today. I've been on a date."

"That's. Great?" Louis asks hesitantly. 

"I know I shouldn't call to tell you. It's stupid," Harry says. To himself as much as to Louis. "You shouldn't call your ex-boyfriend and tell them an hour after you come home."

"An hour?"

"I wanna be friends," Harry rushes. "I know it's not going to happen right away. Maybe not even this year. But do you think that somewhere down the road you could see us being friends again?"

"A year ago," Louis starts. "You were still so hurt."

"I know this is three years late," Harry says. "But for what it's worth. I am sorry. Not for, you know, leaving. But for blaming you. For being so bitter. For thinking you were holding me back and tying me down. I know that wasn't what it was."

"You carried so much contempt for me." Louis voice sounds so vulnerable. "For over three years. You could barely stand next to me. Or even look at me. What changed?" 

"It's just gone, Louis." Harry says. "I don't know what happened. It's just gone."

"Remember Wellington?" Louis asks and Harry can hear his grin through the phone. 

"Of course," Harry laughs. 

"You ever told anyone?" Louis asks. 

"We promised, we wouldn't," Harry says a little offended. "Have you?"

"No, never."

There's a moment of silence where Harry just smiles. 

"Hey," Louis starts, pulling Harry out of his memories. "You wanna come to dinner sometime? Meet everyone?" he asks. 

"Are you cooking?" 

"No, I swear." Louis assures him and laughs. "You can bring someone," he adds, voice a little thin. "If you want to, you can bring someone."

"Are you sure?"

"If it makes you happy," Louis just says. 

"I'll think about it," Harry tells him and starts to wonder how well past and present lives mix. "Do you still remember what you said last year?" Harry asks. " About the higher you fly?"

"Yeah, I do." It's almost a whisper. 

"Do you think we're still falling?" Harry asks carefully. 

"Falling, yes." Louis says. "Into place."

 


End file.
